What’s Hot and What’s Not: Five trends to embrace and five to forget

Trends are … well, they’re trends. They come and go. They are the benchmarks that keep us either fresh or stale. So here are some exciting ideas that are on point and some to which you should wave goodbye.

First, consider the top interior design trends that we’re most enthusiastic about. These ideas will re-energize your spaces and make living in them more practical and fun:

1. Retro furniture and décor. The boldness of retro is about to make a comeback with a modern twist. We all kind of low-key love the look of the bold patterns and mesmerizing walls made famous in the ’70s and ’80s. The highlights of the decade will be making a comeback, including deep, warm colors (like mustard, burnt orange and sage) and mid-century furniture. Invest in some one-of-a-kind furniture pieces that highlight the era’s best design elements, from peg legs to highly textured fabrics. Think about replacing that tired occasional chair with a super cool pod chair. Upgrade your staircase with floating stairs. Teak wood cabinets and tables will really pull a space together and nail the reimagined classic look. Look for exposed brick and textured walls with unique molding. Adventurous and down-to-earth, retro is always welcome in some form.
2. Multifunctional living spaces. We are still feeling ripples of the pandemic, even in home design. Many homeowners now desire multifunctional spaces that call for multipurpose furniture and ease of storage. For example, during the day, playrooms must fit both the kids’ requirements for fun and their homeschooling needs. For the adults, home offices need to double as home gyms or entertainment centers. Innovative storage solutions are the best way to fully utilize your space. Storage ottomans can be used to tuck away unused blankets, pillows or other items while also acting as seating options. Similarly, desks with many drawers, shelves or bookcase attachments can help make the most of a small room. Additionally, next-level smart furniture is sneaking on the scene.
3. Metal elements. Modern industrial is in, and that means the use of metal in design and décor. In this aesthetic, metal often frames expansive windows. And while you may think of metal as cold, in small doses, it can actually add warmth to your home. Implement metal elements by electing to expose some pipes or by selecting gold, copper or bronze light fixtures or lamps. To make the metal elements really stand out, use a simple backdrop that will keep the attention focused on the shiny elements in the room.
4. More sustainability and organic designs. One huge and growing interior design strategy is sustainability. Incorporate sustainable design methods easily with these ideas: Conserve water with low-flush toilets and water-conserving faucets; use LEED-certified products with low carbon footprints; choose low-VOC materials to reduce dangerous chemical emissions; buy energy-efficient appliances, insulation materials, windows, doors, and solar panels; and use retractable glass walls for your indoor-outdoor spaces; add plants to bring your spaces to life as well as freshen the air naturally; utilize natural light during the day and save on electricity; and finally, support companies who promote and adhere to methods of sustainability.
5. Wallpaper. Popular last year, too, wallpaper is easy to find in any color and style, and it is an easy way to decorate your walls without a permanent commitment. Its appeal is predicted to increase, with grass cloth specifically surging due to trends leaning to ’70s retro design

Five interior design trends you’ll see disappearing:

1. Modern farmhouse. While the love of all things Magnolia is far from over, the Gaines’ Fixer Upper signature modern farmhouse look is a dwindling aesthetic, and most designers feel it’s due to oversaturation. Initially, the homey vibes and white-washed furniture was a fresh, less-frilly evolution away from the shabby chic/French country look, becoming a more modern farmhouse version by blending country and industrial. However, after years of signs and initials in every room and buffalo-check everything, this design trend is beginning to feel tired.
2.  Open floor plans. Once a soaring interior trend, you may see open-floor plans tapering off. One thing we learned during the pandemic is that just maybe the kitchen, home office, dining area, great room and living room should not be all the same space—mainly due to lack of privacy and lack of functionality afforded by this design. Those who do have big open spaces may be looking for ways to add separation through wall dividers and other forms of privacy screening.
3. Fast furniture. Cheap, semi quality pieces of furniture that you buy online and build at home will not be popular moving forward. Our rooms now see daily multifunctional use, and people are customizing them to provide flexible and adaptive living spaces, opting for better pieces that have a greater purpose beyond quality for the sake of longevity.
4. Open shelving. Open shelving had a major moment, but it might be coming to an end. Because people have really been at home the last couple of years, using their kitchens, it has become obvious that open shelving doesn’t work as well as we once thought. It tends to end up looking messy and cluttered and offers much less storage than cabinets. It’s predicted that a combination of upper cabinets and decorative shelving are on the way in.
5. Faux design. Wood tile and other faux finishes are going out of style. Faux design—from wood tile floors to marble porcelain—has been big for years now. And although they are budget-friendly, many times they are poorly installed and honestly just look fake. Trends indicate that people are ready to keep it real. In this super-virtual world we now live in, it seems that the importance of real, genuine spaces is gaining ground. Genuine luxury is replacing faux, as it seems there’s no true replacement for the real thing.